Blog Archives

Barefoot Benny Personal Fitness

Barefoot Running in the Boston Globe

1/28/2010

I have a feeling this upcoming spring will forever be remembered as the "Barefoot Spring", because barefoot running will explode in popularity. Nike will cease to exist by the summer, and Reebok and Adidas will also go bankrupt. People will throw out their shoes and go barefoot everywhere, which in turn will lead to no more pollution: people will no longer throw trash on the ground because they won't want to walk on littered pavement. Because of all the joy feeling the ground will bring to people, world peace will be declared by early fall, and the world will unite in harmony forever.

Or maybe a few thousand more people will adopt barefoot running. Either way, it'll be pretty sweet.

Another article came out in the Boston Globe today, titled "Barefoot Runners Avoid Impact". Shown to me by RaRaRonna in Beantown, it has some great pictures of Harvard Professor Dan Lieberman, who, along with Christopher McDougall, is a outspoken proponent of barefoot/minimalist running. Lieberman is a professor of human evolutionary biology, and has done studies comparing the impact on joints between shod and unshod running. The heel of modern running shoes affects the gait and stride, allowing us to land with more impact in ways the body was never intended. The best quote from the article comes from a Boston resident who says:

"It's fun, it's tactile, it's stimulating," Ferris said. "I run faster, it protects the knees and the joints, it's different. It kind of matches the notion that our body evolved to work as a runner ... that's really how the body is made to work."

I think it's funny that Vibram Five Fingers are helping to fund the research, because there's no way Nike and the other major shoe manufacturers would ever support a study that could lead to their demise. I wonder what they're going to do to combat all of this "free your feet" talk that's been gaining in popularity. Will they do research studies of their own? Will they admit defeat and come out with their own minimalist shoes (sorry, the Nike Free's don't come close)? Will they buy out Vibram and shut them down? Only time will tell, but I'm eagerly waiting for responses from them.

Be sure to check out the small side story on the left titled "Famous Shoeless Athletes." It's a fluff piece, but it's interesting to see some NFL kickers who kicked barefoot. Also, check out the four graphics of animated running. It's slowed down enough for all to see clearly.

Finally, thanks also to my friend Vader for forwarding the same article to me this morning. It's nice to know I have friends looking out for and noticing the barefooting trend.

Manhattan Half Marathon Recap

1/25/2010

Manhattan Half Marathon

Manhattan Half Marathon

Quick stats in case you don't want to read the whole write-up:
Time: 1:46:54
Pace: 8:09
Race time temperature: 37 degrees
VFF sightings: 2
Conversations with strangers about VFF's: 3
Brendan Snodgrass walking his dog sightings: 1
Food consumed post-race: way too much

Yesterday I participated in the first of five half-marathon races as part of the New York Road Runners Grand Prix. The racing series consists of a half-marathon in each borough throughout the year, and this first one was the Manhattan Half, taking place in Central Park. In training I hadn't run more than six miles, but my last run was a six-miler on Wednesday, and I felt that the 90 days of P90X improved my cardio greatly.

I loaded up on carbs on Saturday, especially with a big Italian dinner, and then ate a banana and 3/4ths of a bagel before the race, at around 7:15am. It was chilly out in the morning, and my toes were starting to go numb as the 8am race start drew nigh, but I knew once I started moving I'd be fine. My biggest worry was hitting the wall after the first lap, since that was as far as I trained for, but I knew that as long as I stuck to my game plan of breathing through my nose and regulating the pace that way, I shouldn't burn out.

I saw a girl wearing army camouflage Vibram FiveFingers at the starting gates, but wasn't able to get over to her to say hello. The first lap went by smoothly, as I was still half asleep for it, and my body stayed in cruise control. I think I ran about 8 minute miles for most of it, but I lost track of my pace after the third mile. Since I know every little hill and turn of the park, I was able to set mini-goals that definitely helped me out mentally, instead of just thinking, "how much further is the finish already!" The second lap was pretty good too, and I paced myself with a group of three friends, who were going a bit faster than I was. Their pace didn't tire me out, so I knew it was a good way to push myself and stay on track for a finish under two hours. I actually ended up talking to one of the guys for a minute when he asked me about my VFF's, and found that I wasn't breathing hard at all and was able to speak quite normally. Whenever I ran through my mouth in the past I always felt out of breath.

I felt myself slowing down mentally for the last mile, but I forced myself to pick up the pace a bit and probably ran about an eight minute mile for it. The last tenth of a mile I sprinted, as I still had plenty of energy and just wanted it to be over with anyways. My final time bested my first half marathon back in August 2009 by seven minutes, for a time of 1:46:54, a 8:09 minute pace! That made me really happy, and was probably due to the colder weather, as well as the P90X shape I was in. I didn't have any blisters on my feet like after the first race, but my second toes on both feet were quite sensitive and sore afterward, though I didn't get the dreaded "purple toenail." My calves were very sore, as were my feet, but that's nothing a day or two of rest can't heal.

The next half marathon isn't for another couple of months, but I'm definitely looking forward to it!

Daily Finance Article

1/20/2010

One of my old fraternity brothers, Sox, alerted me to this article from dailyfinance.com about the perils of running shoes. I liked this article because it went into a little bit more depth via scientific study about the jolt shod running puts on your joints, especially the knees.

"Overall, the study finds that while today's running shoes do a good job of protecting the foot, wearing them dramatically increases pressure in three lower-extremity joints -- the hip, knee and ankle -- when compared to running barefoot. For example, researchers note that wearing running shoes while running leads to an average 54% increase in what's called hip internal rotation torque, pressure that may increase the risk of osteoarthritis in the hip joint.

To put things in perspective, walking in high heels -- long considered a joint-busting exercise -- increases knee joint torques (a pressure measurement) by no more than 26%, while the effect of running shoes on knee joint torques while running leads to up to a 38% increase, the researchers say."

This upcoming Sunday I'll be running my second half-marathon, and the first of five in 2010. If you're an earlybird and don't mind cold weather, come out to Central Park as I run two laps in my VFF KSO's. I'll be sure to give a full report not only on how I did, but also on if I spotted any other minimally shod or completely barefooted runners. Until then, exercise smart!

Dance Naked!

1/15/2010

Actually, dance with naked feet. Sorry for any confusion. My friend Lila recently sent me the website to a group of New Yorkers, called Barefoot Boogie, who attend dancing events in their bare feet! The atmosphere is very welcoming, and the music ranges from R&B, rock, techno, funk, and other genres. Here is how they describe themselves:

"The Boogie is a freestyle dance which happens twice a month in New York City. We offer a relaxed, smoke- and alcohol-free environment where folks can freely express themselves in movement.
People of all ages, families and kids are welcome. Come alone or bring your friends. You'll find folks at the dance moving solo, with partners, and/or in groups. Dress as you wish, but please leave your street shoes at the door before hitting the dance floor. The Barefoot Boogie is a not-for-profit, cooperative and volunteer-run venture."

They definitely sound like a fun group to dance with, and I plan on checking out one of their events in the next couple of months.

Study: Running Shoes Could Cause Joint Pain

1/14/2010

I was recently sent yet another article about the ill-effects of running in cushy sneakers. And yet again, the article discussed how masking the pain of landing with extra cushion increases the shock on joints, and your body isn't able to read the information of the true impact heel striking is doing to the body.

"A new study finds that running shoes, at least the kind currently on the market, may actually put more of a strain on your joints than if you were to run barefoot or even to walk in high-heeled shoes, and the increased pressure could lead to knee, hip and ankle damage. The scientists don't recommend ditching your high-tech sneaks, however, as going barefoot on man-made surfaces could also prove harmful" [if you don't properly give your body time to adjust to a new running style].

In the study,
"The researchers found an increase in this torque for the knees, hips and ankles when the participants were wearing running shoes as compared with when they were running barefoot."

Is anybody else noticing a trend here with the problems of cushy running shoes?

Ancient Chinese Proverb

1/12/2010

I just found a great quote, an old Chinese proverb, written in a book I'm currently reading. I think it aptly fits into the barefoot running technique:

"He who treads softly goes far."

Think about how that axiom can aid you during the toughest miles of your next run.

Caveman Lifestyle

1/11/2010

The New York Times Sunday Lifestyle section had an article this weekend about people who follow the "Caveman Lifestyle", a movement where "members seek good health through a selective return to the habits of their Paleolithic ancestors." These modern day cavemen choose exercise techniques that simulate what cavemen might have had to do, like running barefoot, jumping, sprinting, and using the city as their own personal gym (scaffolding forpullup bars, city benches to do dips, etc.) They also eat large quantities of meat and fresh fruit, but try to abstain from manmade products like bread and cookies, as they weren't around in the Paleolithic Era. Also, these modern-day cavemen believe in fasting, to simulate the times between hunts when there was no food. They believe that by changing their diets and their habits, they can live a more healthy lifestyle and avoid injury and sickness.

I agree with some of their principles, like exercising in a more natural manner instead of only lifting heavy weights at the gym, but the whole fasting aspect doesn't really jibe with my stomach. I'm sure if cavemen could eat around the clock and had access to more food, they would have eaten more. Their lack of knowledge in domesticating animals made them dependent hunters, not their desire to live day to day.

One of the reasons the article caught my eye wasn't because these people are societal outliers or freaks (they're just being individuals, than you very much), but because I recognized the name of the guys being interviewed. John Durant is the manager of themeetup .com barefoot running group in NYC, and I've been meaning to join them for a group run one of these days. I keep interesting company, eh?

For more information of the caveman lifestyle, check out some of the interesting articles written by Mark Sisson of Mark'sDailyApple.com, who also advocates a primal lifestyle in the modern world. Unfortunately there's a lot of marketing on the site for his supplements and books, but you can get the gist of his ideas and theories on diet and exercise.

Is It Better To Be Barefoot?

1/8/2010

In my internet wanderings today, I found another barefoot running article from the prolific proponent Chris McDougall, author of "Born to Run." This article ran in "Parade" and just gives a general overview about unshod running. My favorite quote from the article is from a professor of physical therapy:

"Davis herself tried running barefoot and now is logging up to four miles a day on asphalt. Doesn't it hurt?

"No," she says. "The harder the surface, the more lightly you land and the more easily you spring back." The human body instinctively modifies itself to different kinds of terrain-- just think back to when you were a kid and how it felt to run barefoot on the grass, sand, or pavement. "

Have a great weekend everyone!

Channing Tatum

1/5/2010

Normally I don't watch TMZ, the paparazzi stalking show because who cares what this celebrity did nd what that celebrity bought at the grocery store? I mean, really? Today, however, I was made aware of a short segment on the show about the actor Channing Tatum and his affinity for VFF's. The clip, which starts at the 15:30 mark, shows Tatum rocking his black Vibram Five Fingers and has him saying they're his running shoes. While the show makes fun of the shoes back in the studio, it's still a win for the barefoot running community because there's no such thing as bad press.